Katerina graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biological and Medical Sciences in 2016 from the University of Liverpool. After graduating, she worked for a short period as a Journal Development Editor, managing a portfolio of open access journals at BioMed Central. Following this, she was awarded a training scholarship from Unilever to undertake a 6 month placement as a visiting research assistant in the Watt Lab at the Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Kings College London. In 2018, Katerina began the MRC Doctoral Training Programme at LSTM, with an integrated MRes at Lancaster University in Global Health: Quantitative and Translational Skills. Katerina is now undertaking her PhD with the Respiratory Clinical Research Group under the supervision of Professor Daniela Ferreira identifying novel pneumococcal pnuemonia protein vaccine candidates. During the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), Katerina undertook a secondment to support a number of SARS-CoV-2 clinical trials, including the ChAdOx1 Vaccine Trial.

Dr. Sopio Chochua (MD, PhD) is a scientist in the Streptococcus Laboratory, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She provides leadership, technical expertise, and oversight of the Streptococcus Lab Whole Genome Sequencing laboratory operation which supports the sequencing of more than 7,000 invasive streptococcal ABCs isolates each year. Her research interests are next-generation sequencing, characterization of clinical streptococcal isolates, antimicrobial resistance, genetic adaptations, and outbreak responses.

Angel Chu, MD is an adult infectious diseases physician and clinical assistant professor at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Canada. Dr Chu has a special interest in adult immunizations and serves as the Vice Chair for Immunize Canada. She received her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Alberta. Then went onto the University of Calgary where she completed her infectious diseases fellowship. Dr Chu has also received a subspecialty training in infectious diseases at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, Canada.

Dr. Adam L. Cohen is the chief of the bacterial Respiratory Diseases Branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At CDC, Dr. Cohen has worked in the areas of vaccines, child survival, surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, patient safety, global health security, and prevention of pneumonia, influenza, meningitis, and diarrhea in domestic and international settings. He has led and served on national and international committees with the World Health Organization and the United Nations and has authored numerous journal articles and book chapters. He has worked in more than 40 countries and lived and worked at CDC in South Africa and at WHO headquarters in Switzerland. Dr. Cohen started his CDC career as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer. Dr. Cohen is a pediatrician and received his medical degree from West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia, and completed his residency in pediatrics, fellowship in general academic pediatrics and Master of Public Health degree at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. He is board certified in pediatrics, is a Captain in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service and holds an academic appointment at Emory University.